Sniffspot Is Airbnb for Dogs

by Renée Stewart-Hester | May 2026

Sniffspot is to dogs what Airbnb is for people—but rather than sleeping, it’s an opportunity for play time. In Woodbury, there are several options for pet owners to reserve spaces for playing, swimming and more. Photo: Sniffspot

A national service offers local dog owners extended outing options.

Keeping dogs entertained can expand beyond running zoomies around the kitchen table or taking leashed loops around the neighborhood. Sniffspot is to dogs what Airbnb is to people—but for playtime not sleep time.

Similar to other online marketplaces, connecting property owners with guests in search of long- or short-term stays, Sniffspot links hosts with dog owners who are searching for spaces for playing and running; trails suited for hiking; private lakes, ponds or pools ideal for swimming; and indoor venues for agility or general exercise.

Sniffspot, founded by David Adams in 2018 while he was living in Seattle, was inspired by his dogs Soba (black Labrador and pit bull mix) and Toshii (basenji, husky, Pomeranian and Rhodesian ridgeback mix). “It was really difficult to get my dogs the exercise they needed,” says Adams, who was living in a high-rise at the time.

Other dog owners can sympathize; it’s not always easy to get dogs the exercise and sensory experiences they require. Sniffspot, available via its website and a mobile app, allows dog owners to search for and reserve desired sites. Interested parties on either end of the arrangement should note that prices are set by the hosts. “We’re basically a marketing platform for our hosts,” says Adams, noting that Sniffspot does establish some boundaries. Locations can’t be parts of shared or public property and must be devoid of hazards. “If you have a pond full of alligators, not allowed. If you have an open well, not allowed. It’s basic stuff,” he says.

Today, Sniffspot has marked its territory in every state in the nation, Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and South Africa. “It’s grown organically,” Adams says, noting that 90 percent of the business is in the United States. At the time this article was written, of the 30,000 host spots, 665 are in Minnesota, including Woodbury and the Metro. “It’s still not enough coverage,” says Adams of the Minnesota market. “We are focused on expanding our current network.” As the business grows, he’s resolute in maintaining Sniffspot’s original mission: make the world a more dog-friendly place.

To that end, pet owners and their canine charges certainly benefit from rented spaces; the hosts are also on the receiving end of positive outcomes. Adams notes that acting as a Sniffspot host offers passive income. (Some make as much as $3,000 a month.) Unlike running an Airbnb, Sniffspot doesn’t require washing bedding or cleaning out the fridge. Hosts have some basic obligations to prepare the venue, but it’s a decidedly light lift. Earning income is certainly an incentive, but Adams is most impressed by another motivation of many of the hosts; they are simply “dog lovers helping other dog lovers.”